Automatic mechanical musical instrument.



No. 723,235. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903'.

G. A. BRAGHHAUSBN. I AUTOMATIC MEUHANIUAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1900. U0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.-

INVENTOB No. 723,235. I PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903,

G. A. BRAGHHAUSEN. AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4,.1900.

6 27 HM I -25 m: ummummr"mum' 3H; v

' WITNESSES l i INVENTOR v waal uu ATTORNEYS I No. 723,235. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903. G. A. BRAGHHAUSEN. AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1900. I0 HODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR No. 723,235. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903. G. A. BRAGHHAUSBN. AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4', 1900. no nonnn. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 723,235. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

G. A. BRAGHHAUSEN. AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

,APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1900.

N0 MODEL. v 5 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

INVENTOR lam ATTORNEYS tion of the transporting mechanism, the sec-- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV A. BRAOHHAUSEN, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO REGINA MUSIC BOX COMPANY, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, A OOR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,235, dated March 24, 1903.

Application filed April 4, 1900. Serial No. 11,416. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV A. BEACH- HAUSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rahway, Union county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to automatic mechanical musical instruments wherein note sheets or disks are automatically conveyed to and from operative position in the instrument.

The object of my invention is to providea simple and efficient instrument of the character specified; and to this end my present invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In .the accompanying drawings, Figure I illustrates a front view, with a portion of the casing removed, of one form of instrument embodying my invention. Fig. II is a transverse sectional view of the same, the view being taken on the line II II of Fig. I. Fig. III is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion being taken on the line III III of Fig. IV. Fig. IV is a front view of the same. Fig. V is an enlarged detail rear view of the upper half of the instrument. Fig. VI is an enlarged detail view of a modified form of construction embodying my invention. Figs. VII and VIII are detail side and top views, respectively, of the pivot-pin, to be hereinafter more fully described. Fig. IX is an enlarged detail fragmentary view, with portions broken away, of the mechanism shown in Fig. VI. Figs. X and XI are front and side elevation, respectively, of certain portions of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. VI and IX, which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Reference being had to the drawings, 1 designates the framing or casing of the instrument in which the various movable parts are mounted. Upon the bottom or base of the casing are secured tracks 2, upon which rollers 3 are adapted to bear. These rollers 3 are on a suitable carriage 4:, which is adapted to support the series of note-disks 5 side by side and to shift them into position. In the particular construction illustrated in Figs. I to V, inclusive, each note-disk 5 is embraced by an independent frame or carrier 6, which is provided with rollers 7, that bear against the periphery of the note-disk, allowing it to be rotated. Suspended from cords or hands 13 on opposite sides of the carriage 4=are two note-disk lifters or shifters 8. (Represented in detail in Figs. III and IV of the drawings.) Each of these shifters is provided with one or more projecting pockets 9, which are open on their upper ends and adapted to pass into notches 10 in the frame 6. When these shifters after engaging a frame 6 are lifted, their pockets 9 will receive the overhanging portions 11 of the frame, and thus the frame will be lifted to bring the note-disk to the operative position. Each shifter has a tubular shank 9 which is adapted to slide on a guiderod 12. The upper end of each shifter 8 is connected to a band, cord, or other flexible connection 13, which has its opposite end connected to a pulley 14, fixed upon a shaft 15. The shaft 15 also carries a fixed pulley 16, to which one end of a band or flexible connection 17 is secured, (see Fig. V,) the other end of said band being connected to an .arm 18. The arm 18 constitutes one arm of a bell-crank lever, which is pivoted at 19, and has the other arm 20 thereof projecting into the path of a cam 21. The arm 18 of this bell-crank lever has a counterweight 22 adjustably secured to it. The purpose of this weight is to act as a means of raising the notedisk and the transporting mechanism which conveys the same to the operative position and to permit the note-disk and its cooperating transporting mechanism to belowered from the operative position in the instrument with the exertion of only a small amountof power. Itwill be understood that the weighted arm 18 maintains the arm 20 in contact with the cam 21 and that a movement of the cam will force the outer end of the arm 18 9 the cam 21 recedes from the antifrictionroller at the end ofthe arm 20, allowing the weight 22 to descend and to elevate the disk. For this purpose the counterweight must be slightly heavier than the disk and its cooperating transporting mechanism. The cam 21 is connected up in a suitable manner with the spring-motor 23, and the operation thereof is controlled in a suitable manner so as to raise and lower the note sheet or disk at the proper moment.

The carriage 4 has a link 24 pivoted thereto. The opposite end of this link is pivoted to a crank 25, that projects from a spur-wheel 26. The spur-wheel 26 has a perforated band 27 passing around the same, and motion is communicated to this band 27 by a corresponding spur-wheel 28. An intermittent motion is transmitted to the spur-wheel 28 by an arm 29, that has a free end or antifriction-roller 30, against which the cam 31 is adapted to hear so as to transmit movement to the arm 29 and to the sprocket-wheel 28 by suitable intermediate pawl and ratchet mechanism, (not shown,) thereby moving the carriage 4 to bring a new note-disk into position to be elevated. When a note-disk5 and its carrier have been moved to the operative position, as illustrated in Fig. V of the drawings, the cam 32 is adapted to bear upon an arm 33, fixed upon a rock-shaft 34, so as to vibrate the same. This rock-shaft 34 has an arm 35 connected therewith, which arm is pivotally connected to a link 36, (see Fig. 11,) and this link in turn is connected to a movable pivot-pin 37. The rock-shaft 34 likewise is provided at or near each end with an arm 38, each of which cooperates with an extension 39, secured to longitudinally-movable rods 40. The outer ends of the rods 40 are connected to a clamping-rod 41, Fig. I, which maintains the notedisk in operative position. It will be understood that a rotation of the cam 32, which is controlled by the spring-motor 23, will effect amovement of the rock-shaft 34, and thus insert the movable pivot-pin 37 in a bearing in the note-disk 5 when the same is in operative position, and will likewise cause the clamping-rod 41 to bear upon the sheet and maintain it properly positioned upon the movable pivot-pin. Motion is then transmitted by suitable means to a driving-wheel, which effects a rotation of the note-disk around its pivot.

Suitably connected to the sprocket-wheel 28 is a hand-operated pointer 42, which cooperates With an index-dial 43, so as to designate the relative position of any note-disk in the carriageto the transporting mechanism or carriers 8.

The principal feature of the present invention which has so far been described resides in the counterbalancing mechanism for overcoming the weight of the note-disks and the transporting mechanism therefor in the movement of the note-disks to and from 0perative position in the instrument.

Another form of my invention is illustrated in Figs. VI to XI, inclusive. In this construction the spring-motor 44 is employed, which is provided with internal cams 45 on opposite sides thereof, that cooperate with an antifriction-roller 46, projecting from one side of a two-arm lever 47, that is pivoted to a fixed portion of the machine, as indicated at 48. One arm of this lever 47 is connected to a band 49, as indicated at 50, whereas the other arm is connected to a band 51, as indicated at 52. The opposite end of each of the bands 49'and 51 is connected to a pulley 53 and 54, respectively. The pulleys 53 and 54 are fixed upon the shaft 55, to which bandpulleys or what I term operating-wheels 56 are attached. Each of the pulleys 56 has aflexible connection or band 57 secured thereto, and the opposite end of each of the bands 57 is connected to a shifter 58. Each of the shifters 58 is provided with a bifurcated end 59, which is adapted to receive the edge of a note-disk, and the shifters 58 areguided in their movement by fixed guides 60. These shifters 58, it will be understood, are disposed upon opposite sides of a note-disk somewhat in the manner as indicated in Figs. I to V of the drawings, except that the note-disks 61 rest directly upon the shifters instead of being contained in separate frames. Each of the band-pulleys 56 is provided with a counterweight 62, which is so situated that it will bein a dead-center position, as represented in Fig. VI of the drawings, when the note-disk carrier is in either the extreme lowermost position or in the elevated position, where the note-disk is maintained in the operative position in the instrument. However, as soon as motion is transmitted to the two-arm lever 47 by means of the cam 45 the band-pulleys 56 will be retated and will immediately convey the weights 62 thereon out of the dead-center position, and these weights will immediately begin to act as counterweights for the note-disk and the transporting mechanism therefor in the movement of the disk to and from the operative position. The driving-wheel 63 is loosely carried upon a pivot 64 and is provided with a pinion'65, which is adapted to mesh with an idler 66. The pivot 64 is carried upon a link 67, which link is pivoted to a fixed portion of the instrument, as indicated at 68. The link 67 is pivotally connected to a second link 69, which has its opposite end united pivotally to a crank-arm 70, as indicated at 71. The crank-arm 70 is fixed upon a rock-shaft 72, which has motion transmitted thereto from suitable cams upon the drum 44, bearing upon an arm 72 It will thus be seen that at predetermined intervals the drum will cause the rock-shaft to be turned, thereby moving t-he driving-wheel 63 to and from a position where it is brought into engagement with the perforations 63 of the notedisk. As the idler 66 is in mesh with the main driving-gear 73, motion will be communicated from the main driving-gear through the idler to the spur or driving wheel 63, and thus a rotary motion will be transmitted to the note-disk, it being understood that motion is constantly communicated to the idler. When, however, the driving-wheel is moved back, it will be forced out of engagement with the note-disk and no rotary motion will be communicated to the latter.

In Figs. I to V of the drawings I have illustrated the ordinary tapered pivot-pin 37, which is adapted to be projected into the central bearing in each of the note-disks and to constitute a pivot therefor. In Figs. VII and VIII, I have illustrated a modified form of pivot-pin in which the taper at the end of the pin is different from that illustrated in Figs. I to V of the drawings, and the advantages of this modified construction will be presently described. It will be observed that the point 74 of the tapered portion 75 of the pin 76 is out-of line withnamely, below-the longitudinal axis 77 of the pin. By this arrangement the point or apex of the pin can be centrally disposed in the bearing of the note-sheet when the same is in the operative position,and as the pin is projected into the bearing the tapered portion thereof will contact with the wall of the bearing in the note-disk and will slightly lift the disk, so as to raise it ofi the conveying-shifter of the transporting mechanism, so that the entire weight of the disk will be borne upon the pivot and no frictional contact will be had between the periphery of the disk and the portions which supported the disk in its movement to and from the operative position of the instrument. It will be understood that this elevation of the disk by the insertion of the pin is very slight, being merely sufficient to raise the disk out of contact with its supporting-shifters, which at that stage are not able to rise farther. The shaft 78, upon which the spring-drum is mounted, is partly supported by a bracket 79, which constitutes the mounting for the pivot 48 and is adapted to be supported itself upon the shaft 55 and may be adjustably supported upon this shaft 55, as indicated in Figs. X and XI of the drawings. In these figures it will be seen thata hook-like bearing 80 is provided, which is adapted to be supported upon the shaft 55 and is connected by pinand-slot connection 81 to the bracket-body 79.

It is thought from the foregoing description that an understanding of the operation of the device can be readily arrived at and that no further detailed description of such operation is necessary. However, attention is here directed to the fact that in the operation of the device represented in Figs. VI and IX of the drawings motion will be communicated in a positive manner from the springdrum to the transporting mechanism by reason of the fact that the bands 49 and 51 pass around their respective pulleys in opposite directions and that motion is positively transmitted to the two-arm lever 4:7 by the cams 45.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In an automatic mechanical musical instrument, the combination of means for conveying separate note-sheets to and from operative position in the instrument and means for moving and maintaining a sheet out of contact with the conveying means when the sheet is in the operative position.

2. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a spring-motor, means for engaging anyone of a series of separate notesheets for the transportation of said sheet, an operating-wheel having a counterbalance thereon and connections between the springmotor and the operating-wheel and between the operating-wheel and the note-sheet-engaging means.

3. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a spring-motor, means for engaging any one of a series of separate notesheets for the transportation of said sheet, an operating-wheel having a counterbalance connected thereto, said counterbalance being on a dead-center when the note-sheet is in either the operative position or state of rest and connections between the spring-motor and the operating wheel and between the operatingwheel and the note-sheet-engaging means.

4. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a spring-motor, means for engaging any one of a series of separate notesheets for the transportation thereof to and from operative position in the instrument, a band wheel or pulley having a counterbalance connected thereto, said counterbalance being on a dead-center when the note-sheet is in either the operative position or in a state of rest and band connections between the springmotor and the band-pulley and between the band -pulley and the notesheet engaging means, whereby the counterbalance will be rendered effective during a movement of the note-sheet to and from operative position and will be inefiective after such movements have been completed.

5. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of means for conveying separate note-sheets to and from operativeposition in the instrument, a movable tapered pivot-pin for the note-sheets, the point of which is out of line with the axis of the pin and means for moving said pin.

6. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of means for conveying separate note-sheets to and from operative position in the instrument, automatically operated clamping mechanism for clamping the notesheet in the operative position, a movable tapering pivot-pin, the point of which is out of line with the axis of the pin and means for automatically inserting said pin in a'bearing in a note-sheet when the same is in the operative position, whereby the sheet will be removed from its conveying means upon the insertion of the pivot-pin.

7. In an automatic musical instrument, the

combination of transporting mechanism for conveying note-sheets t0 and from operative position, counterbalancing mechanism for oounterbalancing the Weight of a note-sheet in its movement to and from operative position, a driving-Wheel for the note-sheet, a driving-gear operatively connected thereto, a main driving-gear cooperating with the gear 

